Edited to include the role of B'ran, S'ten and J'massey at the Hatching of Saleneth's eggs and breaking the chapter a bit earlier
The excursion to Tillek having broken up the building anticipation G'ny felt about the eggs, the remaining half of Saleneth's eggs' five weeks passed quickly. Soon, the Hatching Sands were once more filled with the humming of dragons and cheering spectators from Weyr and Hold alike. Although it was a smaller procession of Candidates than usual, the possibility of a queen and the irregularity of a green-speckled mother had everyone excited. Indeed, the small gaggle of girls that had been Searched had not gathered in vain. Out of the egg Mirith had first noted came a dainty, pale yellow snout – a newborn queen, with none of her mother's characteristic verdant streaks. The Candidate she rushed to was a dark haired young woman named Nallene, one of the older girls of the group. Like G'ny, she was Holder bred, from the heavily-populated and esteemed High Reaches Hold. As such, she was sensible and as cosmopolitan as a person on Pern could be.
Nallene announced, with a grace and clarity that commanded the attention of the entire gathering, that the newest queen was called Babreth. There was something in her that inspired a particular calming confidence in G'ny. Perhaps after suffering the immaturity of Allika, it was relief that a young queen rider could rise to the responsibility of her rank that flooded G'ny. Competent leadership of the Weyr would not rest solely on her shoulders. Besides, with this batch, it seemed like quality would indeed rule out over quantity. Like Nallene, the boys who Impressed were also Holder bred, and from families respected in their respective communities. More than ever, G'ny was involved with engaging the new riders and their families. At each table, she found two proud, smiling parents and often a supportive sibling or two. Unsurprising at such a ceremonial event, she found Tillek's acting Lord Holder, Jonderan, in attendance. He caught G'ny's eye and stood up to greet her, pulling her into a warm embrace. Then he beckoned to a young man next to him.
"My youngest brother, now bluerider L'leran," Jonderan announced with pride. G'ny peeked over to see a small blue bundle curled up on the lap of the youthful man next to him. "I know you'll take good care of him. And Tillek will certainly be sending its fair share so that he won't forget the taste of home! You never know, I might need to venture up here more. Those were your Saleneth's eggs on the Sands, you were just in Tillek! At any rate, I appreciated making your acquaintance when I did." G'ny smiled graciously at Jonderan's excitement. Indeed, dragonrider ties to prominent Holder families was good for the cohesion of the two societies. G'ny wondered if Moura had sent her on the journey with a suspicion of the impending connection. After all, M'tou was experienced in Searches, was well acquainted with Tillek, and was in privity with the Weyrwoman.
It was a small, but joyous occasion. G'ny was still too in awe that her dragon had laid eggs, and a queen one at that, to be bothered that it was only seven new dragonriders that joined the Weyr that day. Her joy was compounded by B'ran having come to share the moment with her. G'ny knew the Hatching would inspire mixed feelings for him. He and Saneth were an integral part to the eggs being on the Sands, yet they were the Sands of a Weyr foreign to them. B'ran was loyal to Igen, yet while G'ny was instated as a rider at High Reaches and there were bronzes at Igen, B'ran knew this might be the largest personal stake he would have in a Hatching. Still, his care for G'ny and desire to support her outweighed his disappointment. Unlike the previous Hatching in the Weyr for which G'ny had been present, in which she was hidden away behind a curtain of drudgery, this was her Hatching to shine. The fanfare of being at the center of it all was entirely foreign to G'ny, as she had not been raised with the imperative that her role in the Weyr was to propagate the draconic species. Many of the visitors who were new to the Weyr shared in her wonder at the situation. M'tou was particularly adept at deflecting the inquiries of prying Holders to keep G'ny's spirits unburdened by unimportant questions.
B'ran's presence also kept her from feeling overwhelmed. Much as he detested the publicity of it all, his affable nature and background allowed him to field questions from visiting Holders and curious dragonriders alike. S'ten and J'massey were particularly hospitable of him, although G'ny suspected they were also using the time to understand the love-interest of their friend. Although she did not openly flaunt his importance in her life, her circle of friends within the Weyr often peppered her to update them on the welfare of each of them individually and as a couple. Relationships of such singular devotion were rare in a Weyr, and in some ways misunderstood, but all lifestyles were welcome. G'ny knew there was another circle within the Weyr, mostly among the brown and blue riders, who knew of, but disbelieved in his existence, thinking G'ny used him as a pretext for dodging their romantic advances. G'ny could not help but recognize this added value of being in a relationship.
Of course, such disappointment did not apply to S'ten and J'massey. Although she had suspected them of some jealousy when she had initially returned from Igen over the happiness she had found there, they had since finally petitioned for adjoining Weyrs, and seemed the happier for it. Even with all parties content, G'ny often missed the dynamic she first had with her Weyrling friends - adjusting to Weyr life, gossiping about their fellow Weyrlings, and comparing notes on the latest, often comical, developments of their dragon counterparts. Now, G'ny's duties were so different than S'ten and J'massey's that their schedules hardly overlapped. This Hatching was probably the most she had seen either of them in months, and yet even this time was so fragmented with all of the commotion going on. As it was, G'ny sometimes envied that they could see each on any day one of them was not stationed away from the Weyr, whereas B'ran lived in an entirely different Weyr. At least tonight, everyone would be able to enjoy their partners. In a lull moment in which the three of them found themselves together G'ny proposed a toast to friendship with them, taking a long swing of her wine in realization of the changed dynamic from when they were first Weyrlings.
Enough time had passed since Saleneth's Hatching that Lawana had properly organized, accounted for, and replenished any supplies her staff would need and the rest of the Weyr had settled into a normal routine after all the excitement, but it had been recent enough that the patterns of how to host were still easy to recall. Soon enough, it was Azirith's turn to be the matriarch upon the Sands. Twenty three new dragonets were hers to proudly bring into the world. This was the High Reaches' largest clutch since before G'ny had been inducted into Weyrlife. In fact, the past six months had heralded the largest influx of new dragons that G'ny had ever seen. G'ny was happy to see the reinvigoration of the Weyr. With all the new blood and ordained riders, the sting of the Oldies' loss that had pervaded they Weyr was finally fading away. Although it contained no queen, Azirith's clutch was heavily stacked, with three bronzes and six browns, two of which were already quite large coming out of their shells. Not that the Weyr was in dire need of another queen. Despite the small clutch sizes, there were now effectively three rising queens, with a fourth on the way. With regular flights and Hatchings, the Weyr was sure to remain in good spirits. G'ny was heartened that little Babreth would have her share of doting bronzes. With these new recruits, the Weyr would need a seasoned Weyrlingmaster. No one was as qualified as the recently retired Weyrleader, T'tor. He was absolutely the most experienced dragonrider in the Weyr. The role gave new purpose which obscured his operative demotion and brought a smile to his face every day.
It was comforting to again hear commotion from the area of the Weyrling barracks. It went from the most to the least likely place to unexpectedly encounter a tunnelsnake. Even if G'ny has not known L'leran for having been singled out by his older brother, she, and the rest of the Weyr quickly became aware of his persona. Although he rode a blue, a color less known for being bold and commanding attention, the small size of the class meant each rider stood out in his own way. L'leran's way was to be both the biggest clown and advocate for his fellow Weyrlings. He was the first to crack a joke as well as the first to notice and settle misunderstandings on the rare occasion they arose. Largely because of his presence and their small cohort number, the elder batch of Weyrlings was a very well-behaved and close group. G'ny also wondered if having a younger class so closely below them added a pressure to be role models and not be upstaged by their younger counterparts, as she sensed an elevated maturity among the group as well. The added complexity of Weyrling classes at two different stages of development led T'tor to enlist the help of the two senior wing leaders. While T'tor would primarily plan the lessons and alternate mornings and afternoons with each class, L'can and C'lin would alternate the days on which they supplemented T'tor's instruction. As always, they were balances to each other: where C'lin was bold, risky, and drilled on repetition, L'can was patient and supportive of his charges, honing in on technique.
The usual Weyrling shenanigans brought rounds of laughter and smiles to the Great Hall - a gangling gait that results in a stubbed nose, a overly odorous stall to muck, an intended shoulder knot or riding strap that bore little resemblance to the deliverable envisioned, instead resulting in a tangled mess. One young lad failed to exercise enough care in handling a numbweed vat, turning an otherwise healthy Weyrling into a temporary invalid when he spilled it all along his left side, making walking difficult for a period of hours. They were all mishaps that time and experience would erase, none which would permanently damage a Weyrling, save for a storied scar here and there. The Weyrlings very smartly soon committed to memory T'tor's distinct klah preferences, down to additional strength at which he enjoyed it brewed and the timing and frequency at which he liked it each day.
The more senior riders of the Weyr felt just as much added responsibility at the influx of newcomers as did the newcomers who were adjusting to the brunt of chores. The burden was on these more senior members, who had to step up in the vacuum left by the more wizened Oldies before them, to not only teach the Weyrlings correct techniques, but to do so in a way that inspired loyalty to and pride in the Weyr. Sure, the likes of C'lin, T'tor, M'tou, and L'can had experience and authority, but G'ny remembered the relief of being approached by and able to confide in a kind older rider who was beyond the pressure of advancement and could level with a struggling Weyrling.